The value of Writing

Agenda Task analysis Structure Sources Essay Structure Intro Body Paragraphs Sources

Task analysis Identify the instruction words. Identify the key content words. Using what you have learnt about the task, formulate a single question. Your question should begin with: What / When / Where / Why / How This is the central question your essay needs to answer. The answer to this question becomes the thesis statement (or central claim) for your essay.

Structure: Introduction Purpose? Is there a formula? Context/ Background Question Thesis Main points – Roadmap Approach AVOID Dictionary definitions Too much detail. Insufficient detail. In other words, writing a good introduction is part formula, part art.

Structure: Paragraphs Topic Sentence Summarises argument Indicates approach Elaboration May provide additional information or restate the topic sentence in a more extended way. Evidence Maybe be quantitative or qualitative data, or analysis of data. Link This makes the connection to the next paragraph explicit.

Conclusions So what? Just a summary Think in a circle…bring the reader back to the beginning. Revisit main points. Where to from here? AVOID Just a summary “In conclusion” Apologising for your work. Introducing new evidence.

SOURCES INTEGRATING SOURCES INTO A TEXT IN-TEXT REFERENCING REFERENCE LIST

INTEGRATING SOURCES Acknowledge your sources. Keep a careful record of sources. Position yourself in relation to the source: X states X claims X proposes

IN-TEXT REFERENCING The in-text referencing includes: the author’s surname, date of publication, (sometimes) page number of a text.

TO QUOTE OR NOT TO QUOTE…. PARAPHRASE: According to Beaglehole and Yach (2004), globalisation is marked by permeability of national borders and a greater degree connection between countries. OR DIRECT QUOTE: OPTION 1 Beaglehole and Yach (2004: 903) define globalisation as “the increasing interconnectedness of countries and the openness of borders to ideas, people, commerce, and financial capital”. OR DIRECT QUOTE: OPTION 2 Globalisation can be defined as “the increasing interconnectedness of countries and the openness of borders to ideas, people, commerce, and financial capital” (Beaglehole & Yach, 2004: 903)

PAGE NUMBERS IN IN-TEXT REFERENCING Direct quotes require page numbers (as above); paraphrased ideas do not have to have a page number in the in-text reference. However, some departments demand page numbers for all in text-referencing. Familiarise yourself with your department’s requirements.

REFERENCE LIST Know the system you are working with. Beware punctuation! Alphabetise. Be consistent. The basic pattern is: Surname, Initial. Date. Title. Publisher: Place.

However… There is considerable variation. Beaglehole, R. & Yach, D. 2003. “Globalisation and the prevention and control of non-communicable disease: the neglected chronic diseases of adults”. The Lancet. 362: 903 – 908. Available from http://www.eldis.org/vfile/upload/1/document/0708/DOC18910.pdf. [Accessed on 28 February].

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